Wednesday 21 September 2011 12.33 EDT
First published on Wednesday 21 September 2011 12.33 EDT

BBC trustees are meeting on Thursday to discuss the long-awaited Delivering Quality First cost-cutting proposals, which are understood to include the merging of BBC2 and BBC4's management.

One suggestion being put forward is for the controller of BBC4, Richard Klein, to report to BBC2 chief Janice Hadlow. According to the BBC, as of last August, Klein's salary was £195,000 and Hadlow's £225,000.

Cost savings would be made by bringing the channels' commissioning structures closer together and creating more "synergy" between BBC2 and BBC4, with more repeats being shown on BBC4.

According to sources, if the idea is passed by the BBC Trust, it could lead to similar synergies between BBC1 and BBC3, which are run by Danny Cohen and Zai Bennett respectively.

There is also a discussion about whether one person could run both BBC2 and BBC4, if controller roles became vacant in the long term, and whether the same could be applied to BBC1 and BBC3.

"Long term, money could be saved if there were fewer controllers but that is looking further down the line," said one source. "The idea on the table at the moment is about reporting lines and the relationship between the channels."

BBC management have completed a lengthy staff consultation process and there has been intense speculation about how the corporation is going to make a 16% cut in operating costs following last year's licence fee settlement with the government. Staff numbers are expected to be reduced and entertainment shows are due to be cut back. Other proposals being discussed by the BBC Trust include running more repeats on BBC2 in the daytime.

According to sources, the reaction to BBC4 "being hit quite hard" has led to a rethink. It could now be one of the first beneficiaries of money from so-called "over-savings" – where greater savings are achieved elsewhere than previously anticipated. An announcement is due to be made to staff in early October.

A BBC spokesman said: "We are not going to get drawn into a running commentary – no decisions have been taken and therefore this is speculation. Any decisions coming out of the process would be subject to approval by the BBC Trust and we expect to announce more within the next month."